---
title: "FreeBSD 5.3 Errata Processing Policy"
sidenav: download
---

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  <h1>Introduction</h1>

    <p>The following is the general policy for submitting requests to have
      Errata Fixes applied to FreeBSD 5.3.</p>

  <h1>Procedures</h1>
    <p>The Errata fixes will be applied by a member of the Release Engineering
      Team, coordinating the fix with the Security Officer who owns the branch.
      An Errata Notice will also be issued.  The Release Engineering Team may
      choose to handle several Errata with one Errata Notice if several are
      being processed at roughly the same time.</p>

    <h1>Policy</h1>
      <h2>Errata Candidates</h2>
	<p>The classification of things that are Errata candidates are things
	  that are severe service-disrupting bugs for which there is no known
	  work-around.  Things like bugs in device drivers that impair their
	  expected functionality, things that can cause kernel panics, etc.</p>

      <h2>Initial Patch</h2>
	<p>During the initial phases the fix for Errata should be handled
	  exactly like any other fix.  It should initially be committed to
	  HEAD and go through the normal testing period there.  The fix should
	  then be MFCed as usual.  At this point if you feel a fix is an Errata
	  Notice candidate please contact the Release Engineering Team to make
	  them aware of it.</p>

	<p>The fix should then sit in RELENG_5 for one to two weeks.  During
	  this period please try to have the fix reviewed by another senior
	  Developer familiar with the section of the code you are working with.
	  You should also get confirmation that the fix solves the problem from
	  someone who had reported the problem.  Assuming no problems come up
	  during this testing period then send in the formal request to
	  <a href="mailto:re@FreeBSD.org" shape="rect">re@FreeBSD.org</a>.  Please include
	  the patch that will need to be applied to 5.3 and who has
	  reviewed the fix.</p>


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